INTRODUCTION
Putting Laser Light in Context
1. Light is just one example of wave
There are:
- Water waves
- Plasma waves
- Acoustic wave
- Light waves
- Gravitational waves
A wave propagate for huge distances, while each particle responsible for the wave motion stays at the same average position, just inducing the motion of the next particle.
In most cases, the wave starts from a local oscillation, and propagates radially from there, like rings produced by a duck paddling on a pond.
In the case of light, it is the electric field produced by a charge oscillating up and down that starts off the wave.
Wave propagation equation (first order) Retarded frame
Sine waves and “rogue waves”
water waves, acoustic waves, gravitational waves and light waves Wave propagation equation
Wave propagation equation: second order to first order
[Verdeyen Chapter 1]
[Ultrashort Laser Pulse Phenomena Section 1.2]
Link to powerpoint file (Lecture 1.ppt)
2. Notations
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3. Complex representation of light field
3.1 Superposition of waves
- coherence
Link to powerpoint file (Lecture 2.ppt)
WHAT CHARACTERIZES LASER LIGHT?
Dynamic range
Dynamic range for:
- Wavelength
- Time scales
- Energies and power
- Intensities
- Radiation pressure
- Linear and Angular momentum
DOPPLER SHIFTS (all waves)
There is more than one way to skin a cat...
Angular momentum The laser Gyro
Link to powerpoint file (Lecture 3.ppt)
REVIEW: FOURIER AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
From Fourier Transforms to Wigner to Schro¨dinger
Review of Fourier Transforms
[Verdeyen
Wigner Function
[Ultrashort Laser Pulse Phenomena Chapter 1 Section 1.5]
Quantum Mechanics in a few slides
[Ultrashort Laser Pulse Phenomena Chapter 5 Section 1]
Link to powerpoint file (Lecture 4.ppt)
LIGHT-MATTER INTERACTION
From semi-classical to classical
Electron response to a field
Interaction of light with two-level systems Coherent propagation effects
Adiabatic following
Rate equations approximation Linear polarization
Link to powerpoint file (Lecture 5.ppt)